Behind the Rocks 4x4 Trail

Nearby Guides

Content
provided by

Viewed 3990 times

(0 votes)

Difficulty: Difficult
Length: 17.2 miles / 28 km
Duration: Full day

Family Friendly • Dog Friendly

Download to Phone

View Large Map

View Photos

Overview: Two of the most dangerous obstacles in Moab, High Dive and White Knuckle. High Dive can easily be bypassed, but bypassing White Knuckle takes you many miles out of your way. Other great features include Hummer Hill, Roller Coaster and Hunter Canyon. Scenic points include Terra Cotta Warriors, Lone Rock, Balcony Arch and Picture Frame Arch. Located on BLM land. For current status call Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office at (435) 259-2100.

Rating:

Difficult. Very rocky with extremely steep and dangerous obstacles. High ground clearance, large tires, lockers and excellent articulation required. Not for stock vehicles. Route-finding is complex.

This trail is one of 55 trails from the book, Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails, 2nd Edition, by Charles Wells, and is available at www.funtreks.com.

Tips: Best and safest way to enjoy this trail is to sign up and do it during the annual Easter Jeep Safari. Plan on a very long day. Carry plenty of water and sun protection.

Trail conditions can change without notice. FunTreks, Inc. and its owner and employees are not responsible for injury, death, or vehicle damage as a result of using this guide. The content of this guide is the property of FunTreks, Inc. and is made available to the user pursuant to EveryTrail’s Terms of Service (http://www.everytrail.com/tos.php).

Points of Interest

map

Start of Trail

Turn right off Highway 191 and follow unmarked sandy road west. It turns south and gets rockier. You'll climb a steep, rocky hill to an easier road, where you'll continue west going past distinctive rock formation called "The Terra Cotta Warriors."

First climb about a half mile in from start Photo

Safari vehicles line up to begin trail Photo

map

Bypass to High Dive

Road forks here. To right is extremely difficult "High Dive" followed immediately by "Upchuck." To avoid these dangerous obstacles, continue straight for bypass. Bypass is very steep and tight, but it's much easier than High Dive.

Vehicle stopped rolling in this position on High Dive Photo

map

Picture Frame Arch

After High Dive, you head southwest to Lone Rock. You'll turn right and circle around the rock counterclockwise to Picture Frame Arch. This is a great spot for lunch. From here, you drop off a ledge and head north on a sandy road that soon goes back to slickrock.

map

Four-Way Intersection

Turn left at a 4-way intersection and head west. This stretch is most easy except for one difficult downhill ledge.

map

Back to Main Road

You reconnect with the main road briefly, but immediately turn away from it heading north uphill.

map

Hummer Hill

Optional Hummer Hill on right. People love to drive up and down this extremely steep, smooth slickrock surface. Go around it to the left if too itimidating for you.

map

Bypass to White Knuckle

To bypass White Knuckle, turn hard left here. This returns to the main county road, where a left turn takes you back to Highway 191. To reach White Knuckle, take softer left turn that crosses over a rusty pipe.

map

White Knuckle

This is an extreme obstacle that drops about 6 feet almost straight down off a ledge. If you do it cold turkey, and slightly misplace a tire, you will likely do a forward somersault with your vehicle. During the Easter Jeep Safari, most people tied a strap to their rear bumper. It only takes one or two people holding back on the strap to stop a vehicle from making a forward roll, since the vehicle is basically standing straight up on its front bumper for a brief moment before it contines over. Believe it or not, some people drive up this obstacle. You can turn left after White Knuckle to return to county road, but the official Safari route goes right through a fun canyon.

FunTreks author does it with a safety strap Photo

Trip leader does it without safety strap. Photo

Safari trip leader approaches White Knuckle Photo

map

Stay Left

Stay left to descend into the upper part of Hunter Canyon (Lower Hunter Canyon is a hiking trail that goes down to Kane Creek Road.) Once in the bottom of the canyon, you'll curve around and actually find yourself under a large overhang at one point. Follow the canyon downhill.

map

Four-way intersection

You reach a major 4-way intersection. This is the exit route for Pritchett Canyon (available as an eGuide from FunTreks). This officially ends Behind the Rocks Trail. Turn left to return to main county road.

map

Main County Road

Main county road improves here and is more obvious as a main road. Stay left to reach Highway 191 in about 11.5 miles. (This county road is described in detail in Picture Frame Arch Trail, available as eGuide from FunTreks.)

Pictures in this guide taken by: FunTreks, FunTreks, Inc.

Copyright 2011 FunTreks, Inc

How does this work?